Ch 281: No Matter How Big The Problem, Your Mother Will Stand Up For You

Today, Soin Palace was filled with a celebratory atmosphere. Not only was Empress Jin planning to adopt her stepdaughter, but she also intended to bestow upon her the title of Angel Princess and grant her the Glass Seal! This was no ordinary event.

Holding the Glass Seal, she would sit in the same position as a legitimate princess. Furthermore, she would become This King’s royal consort in the future! Considering her future status as a potential Queen Consort alone, Baek Hak-yeom could easily stir up Sangdo City, and Empress Jin was adding more flowers to her silk today, so to speak. Judging from the current situation, Baek Hak-yeom’s high position was already as secure as could be.

The palace attendants of Soin Palace all anticipated that from today onward, the Second Young Lady of the Baek Family would become no different from a legitimate Princess Gunryeongseo.

Therefore, when Baek Hak-yeom stepped inside the gates of Soin Palace, the palace maids and eunuchs all rushed to greet her. All of them wore beaming smiles, crowding around her, kneeling, and raising their voices in respectful greetings.

“Greetings to Her Highness the Princess. Princess, Ten Thousand Years, Ten Thousand Years!”

Baek Hak-yeom found this completely overwhelming. Kneeling was one thing, but she couldn’t bear the shouting of “Ten Thousand Years”. Therefore, she quickly raised her hands.

“Please rise. I am not a princess yet. Please do not show me such great respect. And do not call me ‘Ten Thousand Years’. If others were to see this, it would cause unnecessary trouble for Empress Jin.”

At Baek Hak-yeom’s words, an eunuch chuckled and replied.

“Your Highness, please rest assured. What happens within Soin Palace does not spread outside. Even if it were to be known, there is nothing to fear. Who would dare to be so bold as to cause Empress Jin trouble? If I may be so bold as to say, even if His Imperial Majesty were to hear it, he would not mind.”

Gun Moneum nodded.

“That’s right. Since it’s the Queen Mother’s decision, even if Father Emperor harbors some discontent in his heart, he wouldn’t dare speak out.”

Baek Hak-yeom pinched him. However, without saying anything else, she simply told the palace attendants:

“Quickly take me to Madam! I need to pay my respects.”

The palace attendants surrounded their party and walked towards the Main Hall. Someone among them noticed Baek Jin-jin, and Baek Hak-yeom quickly introduced her.

“This is my younger sister. She has entered the palace today to attend the palace banquet with me.”

Those who worked within the palace all had sharp eyes. Understanding from Baek Hak-yeom’s words that the sisters had a very good relationship, they immediately smiled and greeted Baek Jin-jin, who in turn felt a little embarrassed.

Just as they were about to enter the Main Hall, Empress Jin, unable to wait, was practically at the entrance. Baek Hak-yeom almost bumped into her as she crossed the threshold. Baek Hak-yeom was immediately seized by Empress Jin. Gun Moneum instantly lost his wife, who was taken away by Empress Jin, who said:

“You two have long lives ahead of you, but since this palace and Yeom-i will find it difficult to develop a mother-daughter bond, Neum-i, you should go over there. This palace needs to spend some quality time with its new daughter.”

Thus, Baek Hak-yeom was pulled by Empress Jin and seated beside her on the Phoenix Throne before she could even offer her greetings.

Feeling extremely uncomfortable with the situation, she repeatedly declined.

“The Phoenix Throne is not a suitable place for me to sit. It would not look good for others to see.”

Empress Jin’s eyes widened.

“If this palace can sit here, then you can too. Who would dare say it’s not proper? Although you are my adopted stepdaughter, you saved Yeongseo’s life, and the blood flowing in Yeongseo’s body is your blood, so you are no different from Yeongseo to this palace. This Phoenix Throne is where Yeongseo used to play as a child. If Yeongseo could sit here, then so can you! Yeom-a, after tonight, you will be a rightful Angel Princess. From today onward, show this palace the influence of a princess!”

Baek Hak-yeom yielded to the Empress. That the blood flowing in Gunryeongseo’s body was hers? This statement sounded strange no matter how she heard it. Although she had exchanged blood with Gunryeongseo, there was no need to phrase it in such a bizarre manner!

However, Empress Jin did not dwell on it. She insisted on having Baek Hak-yeom sit beside her and proceeded to ask her a series of detailed questions, ranging from whether Baek Heung-eon treated her well to what she had eaten before arriving.

Upon hearing that Baek Hak-yeom had not yet eaten, she immediately ordered the Royal Kitchen to prepare a meal. It was essential that she eat before the palace banquet began, and the reason was quite reasonable.

“The food at the palace banquet is all for show, merely pretty to look at. However, with so many men and women present, who would really pick up their chopsticks to eat the meat? It’s just a matter of drinking a bit of alcohol and enjoying themselves. How could you endure it if you haven’t eaten all day? Have a proper meal here beside this Queen Mother first. Don’t let your stomach rumble later.”

Baek Hak-yeom, slightly dumbfounded, earnestly pleaded.

“Madam, there’s no need for such trouble. If you are truly concerned that I might be hungry, just give me some simple snacks. I’m on a diet and don’t eat much. A few snacks will suffice.”

Empress Jin was surprised.

“You’re already so thin, and you’re still dieting?”

After speaking, Empress Jin seemed to recall something, her expression hardening as she revealed her displeasure.

“Why are you still calling this palace ‘Madam’? From now on, call me Queen Mother, just like Yeongseo.”

Baek Hak-yeom quickly stood up, took a few steps back, and knelt before Empress Jin. With her hands outstretched and her forehead touching the ground, she spoke solemnly.

“Having lost my mother at a young age, I thought I would never again experience the warmth of a loving mother in this life. I never expected Empress Jin to take me in as your stepdaughter and cherish me so. This is a great blessing for me in three lifetimes. I am grateful for your kindness. Until the day I die, I will serve you wholeheartedly and repay your grace.”

This time, Empress Jin did not stop Baek Hak-yeom from performing three prostrations. After solemnly accepting the bows, and only after the third bow, she said:

“Call me Queen Mother. This is the end of the formalities between us. Soon, at the palace banquet, I will bestow the Glass Seal upon you, but that is merely a formality to announce it to the world. Our mother-daughter bond has already begun. Yeom-a, this Queen Mother has nothing else to give you besides the Glass Seal. But remember, from today onward, this palace is your mother, and Yeongseo is your biological younger sister. If you suffer any injustice outside the palace, come to the palace and tell your Queen Mother. No matter how great the problem, the Queen Mother will stand up for you.”

Baek Hak-yeom’s nose felt sore. Now she had a mother. Although there had been many twists and turns and a tumultuous relationship, she secretly found Empress Jin and her younger sister, Gunryeongseo, very endearing. The fact that such a kind woman sat upon the Phoenix Throne was a blessing not only for her but for Dongjin as well.

When Baek Hak-yeom looked up, her eyes were glistening with tears as she looked at Empress Jin. However, an irrepressible smile played on her lips.

“Queen Mother.”

She sincerely called out to her Queen Mother. A tear fell.

“I will be filial. Thank you for giving me a complete life.”

Empress Jin supported her. The more she looked at her, the more she liked her. The two sat on the Phoenix Throne, crying and laughing, moving the palace attendants to tears as well.

Baek Jin-jin, bewildered, asked Gun Moneum in a small voice.

“Brother-in-law, what’s going on? The Empress said to consider her my biological mother from now on. If my older sister is her biological daughter, then wouldn’t you and my older sister become biological siblings? Isn’t something wrong with our statuses? How can two siblings get married? Isn’t something wrong?”

Gun Moneum raised the corner of his mouth.

“Sister-in-law! This King’s father initially said the same thing, but since my mother insists on making her her daughter no matter what, who would dare to stop her! Just ignore it. Anyway, your brother-in-law is not the Empress’s son either, and even if your sister is, for the sake of convenience, even if she has the best relationship with her mother, outsiders know she’s a stepdaughter, so nobody will pick on her.”

Baek Jin-jin nodded.

“Right. Who would dare to pick on a man with such a nasty temperament as my brother-in-law; they must be crazy.”

Gun Moneum clicked his tongue.

“My temper may not be good, but compared to my ninth older brother, it’s nothing. That day, when I vented my anger for you, I steamed Gwak Byeok-ok alive. Who has a worse temper than him?”

Baek Jin-jin clutched her chest.

“Stop it. It’s so disgusting.”

Gun Moneum also clutched his chest.

“Stay back a little. I have a headache from the smell of your body.”

Baek Jin-jin moved a few steps to the side and muttered with a displeased expression.

“What smell? I don’t even use fragrance.”

“What are you two whispering about over there?”

Hearing Empress Jin’s voice, Baek Jin-jin was startled and immediately knelt down.

Empress Jin glanced down. After hearing Baek Hak-yeom’s introduction, she realized.

“Ah, so you are the Hong Family’s granddaughter. Come, lift your head and let me see your face.”

Baek Jin-jin slightly raised her head. However, she dared not look directly at the Empress, only managing to look up to her nose. Her composed appearance was as if she had become a beauty waiting to be selected into the Imperial Palace.

Seeing this, Empress Jin spoke again.

“You’re quite pretty. Indeed, the offspring of a beauty, very pleasing to this palace’s eyes.”

Baek Jin-jin felt her breath catch in her throat. Surely, she wasn’t actually going to be selected? This wasn’t a joke, was it? She hadn’t come here to be selected.

Therefore, Baek Jin-jin couldn’t help but respond.

“Empress Jin, I only came to the palace banquet. Empress Jin, please absolutely do not have any other thoughts. I am only twelve years old. I am not yet of age to enter the palace. Moreover, I don’t want to enter the palace either. My aunt is serving as a concubine in the household, and if I were to also enter the palace, it would disrupt the hierarchy. It would be extremely awkward for us to face each other.”

Empress Jin didn’t understand what she meant. She asked Baek Hak-yeom.

“What is your younger sister saying?”

Baek Hak-yeom rubbed her forehead.

“Please forgive her, Queen Mother. My fourth younger sister tends to be rather unconventional in her thinking. From what I can see, she seems to have misunderstood your intentions. She must have taken your words about her being pretty as a plan to include her in the ranks of concubines!”

Empress Jin found this amusing.

“That child really is… lively! His Imperial Majesty is so old, why would he take in concubines or beauties? This palace doesn’t even have the energy for that sort of thing.”

Empress Jin looked at Baek Jin-jin and said, unable to contain her laughter.

“Get up quickly. The reason I said you were pretty is because I think you would suit one of this palace’s other sons. It has nothing to do with His Imperial Majesty.”

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